Discovering Paul’s Secret Of Contentment

Why is there such discontentment in the world? What was the Apostle Paul’s secret of contentment?

America has just experienced its worst year as far as natural disasters is concerned, and the year’s not over yet, so how do so many believers find contentment in a world that’s under so much duress? It’s not that they find contentment on their own, but they learn contentment, and that contentment starts with Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reminds us that “we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Tim 6:7-8), so Paul is trying to help those who are consumed by possessions and circumstances, because “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Tim 6:9). It isn’t that money is the root of all evil, but it can be a root of all sorts of evil (1 Tim 6:10), especially when money is pursed at all costs…and it doesn’t matter who gets hurt.

Money - Place - God - Money - Promises

Money can very easily take the place of God because money promises, “I will provide for your every need, I can help you when you need something, I will take care of you in the future,” and so on. They say that money talks, but to me, it mostly says “Goodbye,” so we’re admonished to “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5). The author of Hebrews mentions the fact that God will never leave us or forsake us in the context of having money. Maybe it’s because we can start...